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Prime Minister's Office
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Preliminary English rendering of PM’s reply to the motion of thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha on 07 February, 2018
Hon'ble Chairman sir,
This House had a detailed discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the Hon'ble President's address. About 38 Hon'ble members have expressed their thoughts. Shri Amit Bhai Shah has presented his proposal with the maiden speech and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe ji has supported it. Shri Ghulam Nabi Azadji, DP Tripathi ji, Pramod Tiwari ji, Sardar Balwant Singh ji, Naresh Agarwal ji, Dilip Kumar Tirki Ji, Sanjay Raut Ji, Anand Sharma ji, Derek Obrein ji, D Raja, Sanjay Singh, Sukhendu Shekhar Rai G, TK Rangarajan Ji, T. G. Venkatesh ji, and several Hon'ble members have presented their views. Everyone presented his/her views on several topics like employment, corruption, farmers' income, foreign policy, security system and Ayushman Bharat. I heard Ghulam Nabi ji sitting here while I heard others in the room. So, I got the opportunity to observe his body language. While he was discussing about dynasty and politics and was trying to save one particular family, whatever he was saying was correct, but he was sounding naive. And most of them from Ghulam Nabi ji to Anand Sharma ji were usually talking about their previous government. Nobody listens to that elsewhere so they grabbed the opportunity to talk about it here. Anyway, I have no right of commenting over what Congress or any other party should or shouldn't do. But you discussed about Ayushman Bharat and quoted America and Britain as examples. Now there is a great difference between India's social condition and the models of America and Britain. Certain things that are successful there might not be successful here while certain other things that might not be successful there might give results here. So such arguments are not apt. We must think from our point of view. It is quite natural to be cut off from the ground after being in power for about 50 to 55 years. Consequently, having such ideas and thoughts is quite natural. But I don't believe that anyone would disagree upon the fact that in our country there is a need for doing a lot in the field of healthcare. And when I say that there is a lot that needs to be done, it does not mean that when Ghulam Nabi ji was the Health Minister in his time, nothing was done at that time. Of course some initiatives must have been taken. Yet a lot needs to be done and no one can deny that. Therefore, we must try to understand that how can we discuss things in accordance with the hopes and aspirations of the nation. It's true that we have come up with in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. There might be a few shortcomings in the scheme but this scheme is for the nation. This is not for any particular party therefore I would like that my friends from Congress and other parties form a Task Force and study the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. And I would definitely give time to the shortcomings that you find in it. I will personally devote time for that. What is the ultimate goal? If a disease affects a poor or a lower middle class family, the entire savings and earnings become zero. It becomes negative. Sometimes they have to borrow money from the money lenders at higher interest rates. They don't want their children to be indebted. So, they bear with the diseases. This is the psyche that is prevalent. And several questions could be raised regarding who did the work and who didn't and why wasn't it done for the past 70 years? But my topic of discussion is not that. Our thought process is not like yours - that God has given everything only to us. We believe that there are greater and better scholars and experienced people here in the House. Can we sit together, discuss and give hope of good health to the 40-50 crore people of the country through Ayushman Bharat? And this is an insurance scheme. And we are aware of the system of an Insurance. Therefore, we need not get stuck with the discussion on budget provisions. We are very well familiar with that aspect. But the poor people of the country must get the benefits. Therefore, I don't think that there should be any problem with that. But yes, in case there are a few shortcomings that might have crept in after the launch of the scheme and our attention has not been drawn towards those, we are welcome to such criticisms. During the suggestion period, preliminary ideas on the scheme have been presented. How to make it better together? Therefore, I would like good inputs and suggestions. I would also request the people who might be listening to my speeches on television to give their suggestions if they so desire. If we want to serve the country's poor, it must not be limited to one particular party. And I believe we should take this idea forward together.
Now, if I write the figure 9 in English, people on this side will not deny that. But those of you sitting by there will see it as 6. If I am writing 9 here, I am not wrong but you are able to see the figure 6 because you are on that side. What shall I do? So, you tell me if India's Ease of Doing Business ranking is improving then why should we feel bad about it? Shouldn't every Indian feel proud about the improvement in Ease of Doing Business rankings? Our better image has been created in the world. This is something good for the nation. We can play the game of 'we did it - you did it' when we fight the elections. Sometimes we reach up to that extent when it is not possible to attack us directly as the job is handed over to a rating agency and thus the rating agency is attacked. Probably such a thing never happens anywhere in the world. And sometimes I feel that while criticizing Bharatiya Janta Party, you start criticizing the nation. It's good to criticize the BJP, and there must be criticisms. That is your right. You must also criticize Modi; strongly criticize him. You have complete right in a democracy. But while condemning BJP, you forget and start condemning the nation. While attacking Modi, you start attacking India. Politically, you have the right to criticize and attack BJP and Modi. And you must do that. But while doing that you cross your limits. And as a result, the country faces heavy losses. You will never accept that such people are present among us. You will never be able to accept. I can understand your pain. But for God's sake please don't damage the country's reputation in the world. Now, the Hon'ble President has envisaged a New India in his speech. Even Swami Vivekananda ji had discussed about the New India. Mahatma Gandhi also used to talk about Young India. Our former President had also envisaged about a New India. I don't know where is the problem then? We don't want New India, we want the old India. I believe we need Gandhi's India. Even I want Gandhi's India because Gandhi ji had said, 'India is independent. We don't need Congress anymore. Congress must be disbanded.' The idea of a Congress-free India was not Modi's but Gandhi ji's. We are just trying to follow those footsteps. Now you want to have that Old India - the India littered with the Jeep scandal, submarine scam, Bofors scam or the Chopper scam. You don't want a New India but that Old India of Emergency period when the country was turned into a prison; that India where people like Jaya Prakash Narayan and Morarji Bhai Desai as well as lakhs of people were put behind the bars by imposing emergency. You want that India where democratic rights are snatched away and the freedom of the press is curtailed. Which India do you want? That India where thousands of innocent Sikhs are murdered after the fall of the 'big tree'? You, you don't want a New India. You want that India where the entire administration kneels down before the influential people in the Tandoor case. You want that India where those accused of the death of thousands of people are sent abroad on a plane. You too went to Davos and we too had visited Davos. But you sent somebody with somebody's letter.. you want that India. Therefore, you don't want a New India.
The Hon'ble President had mentioned about the Jan Dhan Yojana. And you have criticized even the Jan Dhan Yojana and said that it was nothing special and a similar scheme had existed before. I would like you to at least accept the facts. Politically whatever you want to say, you might say. The 31 crore Jandhan accounts that we talk about were created in 2014 after our government came to power. And no one can change that record. This record is available and so it would be great if you get your facts correct. You also said that we are 'Name changers' and not 'game changers'.
If you look at our activities and be honest, you will say that we are 'aim changers'. We are those people who chase our goals and achieve them. Therefore, for every goal that we set, we also assign the time limit, prepare the road map to achieve it, mobilize the resources and toil hard so that we too are able to contribute towards liberating the country from the challenges that are plaguing it today. So, it is quite natural for the Congress to yearn for it. It is quite natural for you to desire for all the applause and attention. You are so used to hearing this all that nothing else fits inside except that.
I will be glad if you check the records and see if on 15th August any Prime Minister from Congress Party had ever in his/her speech mentioned about the good work done by other government or state governments. I am the one who says from the Red Fort that the nation is a result of the contributions made by every government and state government that hitherto came in to power. And nobody should hesitate. And we don't yearn for you to remember Atal ji. It's okay if you have to do that out of compulsion. You have also taken the credit for everything done before 2014. You want to take credit. And you also have some amazing rules. When we were Young, we used to observe the small kids playing cricket in our village. In the end they used to fight. We used to wonder why were they fighting. They have been playing all the while. Then we realized that they had a rule. The owner of the bat used to bat and the moment he was given out, he used to go away with his bat. You too are similar. Do you think you will always get to bat? Now that you are not getting to bat you will say 'game over'. This is not how things work folks!
Then, when it comes to Aadhaar, you say that it's your work and we are taking the credit. But you must remember that on July 7, 1998, in the same House, the Hon'ble Chairman who was the member of this house back then had asked one question. The then Home Minister, Shri Lal Krishna Advani ji had replied in the same house that Multi-Purpose National Identity Cards will also be used for Issuing Passports, Driving Licenses, Rashan Cards, Health Care, Admission & Educational Institution, Employment in Public Private Sector, Life and General Insurance as also for maintenance of Land records and Urban Property holdings. The seed of Aadhaar was sown here.
20 years ago...
Hon'ble Chairman sir, I request you to spare Renuka ji. After Ramayana serial, today I have got the opportunity to hear that laughter.
20 years ago, this was the vision of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. Yet, if Congress says Aadhaar was started by them, we don't have any problem in giving them credit. Aadhaar is yours.
We have placed the nation before the party. And the basis of our decisions is welfare of the nation. Today you are looking for credit and it's quiet natural. The Supreme Court had ordered to for an SIT. You kept it in limbo for three years. And the credit for the same must go to you. We accepted the first SIT but you may say that this issue came up before us.
The Congress may also accept the credit for investigation against black money. For 28 years, Congress had not implemented the law against Benami Property. Take the credit for that too. Till date, properties of more than Rs. 3500 crores have been confiscated. Respected Anand ji, you must be aware of this. You are here for a long time. And you have a special way of telling things. But the Benami Property act was passed 28 years ago in both the houses but rules were not framed and it wasn't notified. It was in a limbo. Who blocked it? No opposition was responsible for that.
Till date, properties of more than Rs. 3500 crores have been confiscated. Now, you should be given credit for the proliferation of all the Benami properties during your tenure. All credit goes to you. The world has changed and I don't believe that you didn't know about Insolvency Code or the Bankruptcy laws. But the credit goes to you that you didn't bring these laws for the personal gains of many. We have taken decisions so that the industrial sector and the global community develop faith and trust in India and her laws. When it comes to One Rank One Pension, they had been bluffing the nation for four decades and had set a budget of Rs.500 crores before the elections. When we came to power, we noticed that there were no records of anything; no careful study was done. When we implemented One Rank One Pension, Rs.11 Thousand crores was required. How you could manage it with Rs.500 crores, the credit must definitely go to you. For GST, the event was organized at midnight. Congress boycotted that. All parties had attended it. And you were afraid that we will get all the credit for that. And believe it or not, all the negativity that you are creating against GST will be registered in your account and it will continue to register. And the country will take note of it. Just imagine! You are afraid of others getting all the credit.
When it comes to Neem coating, you had started it but left it midway. You capped it. In such a scenario, it does more harm than good. There were two aspects behind Need coating which you were aware of. One, it increases the strength of urea. Hence, the farmers could do with less quantity of urea. Secondly, it brings about a qualitative change that increases the yield. Another thing was that the urea was diverted to the factories instead of reaching the farmers while the bill was in the name of the farmers. The subsidy was shown in the name of the farmers. Now, if the coating is 100%, it cannot be used in factories and you knew it very well. Why was the 35% capping done? For whom did you keep that window of 65% open? Who should I give this credit to?
Therefore, I believe that we we're behind the 100% coating of urea. Besides, the importee urea is also first 100% coated with Neem. It is the result of the same that today there is no dearth of urea. Otherwise, when I was the Chief Minister, every year I had to write 2-3 letters to the Prime Minister for urea. When I became the Prime Minister, initially I too used to get letters from the Chief Ministers for urea. But today not a single letter arrives. And there are no lathi charges. People are getting urea. A few things can be changed. Sometimes politics starts dominating. And it is the result of repeated elections that foundation stones are being laid and projects are being launched even before the completion of the plans. What was the result of that? Just see, we had to cut down on the announcements in Railway budget. Although now railway budget has been accepted. But why did we have to do that? I noticed that the previous governments had announced more than 1500 railway projects and no one was there to monitor and track their progress. They were announced and were appreciated in the House for a few days. A story pertaining to that was published in some newspapers, the MP gained some popularity and that was the end of it. The country has suffered a lot due to this culture.
And you will be surprised to know that I have taken an initiative using one PRAGATI technology. I personally started reviewing all the suspended projects. I sit online along with the Chief Secretaries of all states and all the Secretaries of the Government of India. And you will be surprised to know that there were projects that were 30-40 years old and their foundation stones were laid but those are not there on papers. I started reviewing every project of all the departments. It's not that I will shake off the responsibility as these projects were started by the previous governments. After all the nation must go on in continuity. Let the governments change. It's democracy. We cannot abandon a project saying it was started during Jairam Ramesh's period. This is not the spirit with which one should be working. You will be surprised to know that I have cleared projects worth more than Rs.9 Lakh crores till date. I asked all the ministries to look for 30-40 year old incomplete projects. Had these projects been completed at that time, it would have costed a few thousand crores. Bit today these have become projects of Rs.9 lakh crores or 10 lakh crores. You too have run the government and we too. Whichever government is in power has the responsibility. And your names are engraved on these stones, even if a few are stolen. So the credit goes to you. After all these schemes belong to you.
Now, our Azad Saheb mentioned about the Food Security Bill along with the date. Anyone can ask you that the date that you have quoted, our government came to power one year later. Why didn't you implement it within that one year? Now you are citing Supreme Court's order. You should know that Kerala that had your government, didn't accept it. The Supreme Court had to crack the whip. But you are passing the blame on us. And I believe that whatever decisions we take, we must do that with the objective of accomplishing it.
Now you are saying that the fertilizer factories were started in your time. That's true. But those factories had also shut down during your tenure. Several workers were rendered jobless during your tenure. Take credit for that too. Today we are implementing that by making changes in the laws. Today we are working to restart and expedite the work of the closed urea factories of U.P's Gorakhpur, Bihar's Barauni and Jharkhand's Sindri. We connected the Jagdishpur-Haldia gas pipeline with the factories so that they have easy access to gas supply. And we make such an arrangement in that particular region, it will increase the development prospects of the Eastern India. And that state is not ruled by Bharatiya Janta Party. The development of all the states of Eastern India is essential for the development of the country. There should be an equitable development of the country. We are directly working on the basis of the development theory. And I believe that you will appreciate it.
Our Hon'ble member Amit Shah had delivered a speech. And I was glad that Azad Saheb pointed out that there was no mention of Sardar Patel in that speech. I am glad that you commemorated Sardar Saheb.
Recently elections were held in Gujarat. Our Babubhai had won in that election. Here, Sardar Patel was present in every literature of Congress Party. I was really delighted that we are able to see this day after so many years. I thought this tradition will continue after that. However, after the conclusion of the Gujarat elections, in an event organized by your party, Sardar Saheb was to be seen nowhere in the backdrop. You can see the old photos. The newspapers had also come up with stories that the event was held just after a week but there was no mention of Sardar Saheb. Our leader didn't mention Sardar Patel and you tried to use that. But try to recall the time when Sardar Patel and Baba Saheb Ambedkar received the Bharat Ratna. What took so many years to give this honour? And this issue was outside the context of the President's speech but still you raised this. It's good that you raised it. But whenever you raise an issue, there are four fingers pointed at yourself. You must not forget it. The way work has progressed in our country, may be your work culture doesn't include observing the nuances like this.
I am fortunate that I could be the Chief Minister for a long time. Even Azad Saheb had also been the Chief Minister so we know that we have to go into nuances. Sharad Rao had also been the Chief Minister so he knows that one has to get down to the nitty-gritty. The Chief Minister cannot beat about the bush. He has to know things in detail. And whoever has been a Chief Minister knows that. But a very few Chief Ministers come here and those who come here get small departments. But I have received a greater responsibility and therefore my previous habit is helping me.
The irrigation projects had come up years ago, dams were built but what was that water for? It is for the agricultural fields. But no network was created for 40-50 years. Could anyone imagine? A six floored building is constructed without a staircase or lift! Look at the way the work was done. I identified 99 such projects and restarted the work with a scheme of thousands of crores of rupees and we have been working to ensure that the farmers have access to water. 50 projects have been completed and work is going on to ensure that the rest of the projects get completed at a fast pace.
It's good that you created and built all of that. But the question is why the idea was incomplete? Why did the work remain incomplete? And there were no concrete results. It would have better if it was comprehensive, and an integrated approach and a holistic view was followed. Had all the work done during your tenure been completed, the nation would have been doing well. I am not saying that you didn't do but the way the work should have been undertaken makes all the difference and you lacked in that. Whoever has got the opportunity to do good work must act responsibly.
Therefore, you must have seen how we have brought about a sea change. In our country more budget allocation is considered satisfactory. It receives applauses. Those paying attention to the outlay are less and those paying attention towards the outcome are even lesser. No one talks about outcome. We have changed the work culture and have started framing an 'outcome report' that is placed in the Parliament. This is to ensure that the funds allocated for a particular project are actually being used for that particular project. Therefore our efforts should be towards emphasizing upon outcome.
Now the issue of increasing farmers' incomes was being discussed. I am surprised that who could have a problem with doubling of the farmers' incomes? I think no one should object. It's not that there are political interests. Everyone sitting here knows in his/her heart that this is something that we should do. How will this task unfold? The fragments of land keep on increasing. Members of a family keep on getting added. If a farmer has 10 Bigha land, it gets divided among the children and it reduces to 2 Bigha or 1 Bigha. It becomes difficult then. So technology intervention is essential. We need to move towards agro- technology. We need to modernize. And only then it will result in a change. Soil Health Card is one such effort. Per drop more crop or micro irrigation is also one such effort. There was a time when sugarcane couldn't be produced without flood irrigation in our country. The farmer used to believe that in order to cultivate sugarcane, the field must be filled with water. With my experience, in Gujarat there was a rule to use sprinkler irrigation system to cultivate sugarcane and the yield was really high. Gradually water will be saved throughout the country. There are several such experiments. Everyone knows that earlier those who cultivated bananas had to pay out to get the remains of the banana plant removed. They had to pay Rs.5000, Rs.10 thousand or Rs.15 thousand for every acre.
Our Agriculture University created fiber out of the remains of the banana plant and produced fabric and clothes. Extremely good quality clothes are being produced out of that. Moreover, if those are scattered on a dry land, then plants and trees can grow on that land without water for 90 days! That waste has now been created into wealth. Today people are purchasing it and are purchasing it for Rs.10 thousand or Rs.15 thousand per acre. If we concentrate on the agricultural waste in our country, we can help the farmers in raising their income levels. Now, the farmer will be at loss in both the ways - if he produces surplus or deficit. Sugar factories in our country are able to run mainly due to the farmers of our country. Now we have increased the ethanol requirement to 10%. Whenever there is a pressure on sugar, it creates a global market impact. If we divert it towards ethanol, it will ensure the protection of the farmers.
We have also started the Kisan SAMPADA Yojana. We also know that a lot of money was getting wasted because of several weak points throughout the chain from the fields to the market. There have been several weak points in the infrastructure. If we have a comprehensive approach from seeds to the market, only then will the efforts fructify. Therefore, we are working in that direction.
And the e-NAM Scheme has just started. And there are several states that should have by now made the modifications in the APMC Act but have not done so. However, the farmers have done a business of about Rs.36 thousand crores by online sale over e-NAM. A business worth Rs. 36 thousand crores in itself is huge to start with. I believe it will progress further.
We have to go for value addition. Merely selling green chillies will fetch the farmers less amount of money. But if there are good quality red chillies, making powder out of that and packaging it with proper branding will increase the incomes of the farmers.
If we talk of allied activities of the farmers, today a solar energy farm can be created within the field. It can also produce the electricity for solar pumps. It can reduce the expenditure on diesel and electricity. And the state governments can also purchase that electricity. There will be a drastic reduction in the expenditure.
If we talk about bamboo, it's not your fault. For 90 years, the law made had categorized bamboo as a tree. No one could cut bamboo while throughout the world bamboo is considered as grass. Now you should have done it so the credit goes to you. We thought of it and took the initiative of categorizing bamboo under grass. Today the farmer can cultivate bamboo around his field. There will be no harm to his crops. That's extra. Today India imports bamboo worth thousands of crores. We import bamboo for matches, kites or making incense sticks. It's just a small decision to increase the farmers' incomes.
Now there could have been a lot of progress in the field of beekeeping. But it was not done. Why wasn't it done? During the last four years, 11 integrated bee keeping development centers have been set up. And there has been a 38% increase in the honey production. This honey is being exported to other countries. And most importantly, we must pay attention to the fact that the world moving towards holistic health care. The world has become conscious of eco-friendly life. Consequently, people are demanding bee wax instead of chemical wax. The bee wax can be transformed in such a way that it can capture the global market in the future. Our farmers can work under a tree in a corner. We will link animal husbandry, fisheries, poultry and value addition and help the farmers. I don't think there will be any difficulty in doubling the farmers' incomes. The farmers will be empowered. We all will have to put efforts and we will do that. Then it will definitely yield results. And our efforts must be in that direction.
Today the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Make in India, Jan Dhan Yojana, International Yoga Day, the investigation over black money and surgical strike are being mocked at.
But you tell me, should we object to the Constitutional status being conferred on the OBC Commission? Give me a reason. There was a demand for it for years. There could be some reason for you didn't undertake this task. It has been in a limbo in this House for a long time. Can't we do this work?
There is no courage to openly protest against injustice, or to face the public. Today aspirations have awaken in the OBC community. Today the OBC community is aware and is raising its voice for its rights. And your politics doesn't allow you to talk openly. Therefore, you keep on making excuses. But the OBC community of this country gives out in return if it is asking for its rights. So, it's my request that keeping politics aside, try to encourage it instead of attempting to block it.
Triple Talaq - who had stopped you from framing laws on the issue of Triple Talaq? This was in your hands 30 years back. You could have done that. But your politics and the speech of your Minister that raised the question as to why the Triple Talaq be revoked! But voices were raised from everywhere against it, your politics and vote bank were at stake and the minister and that mission were removed. It can come under every criminal law of India. Your justification and logic is similar to the following story. A person commits murder but you will not allow that person to go to jail because he is a 30 year old only son of his parents. What will his poor parents eat? If a Hindu married two women, he would have to go behind the bars. In that case, it never occurred to you that what would his parents eat? So, obviously if anyone studies and analyzes it, that person would be surprised to hear your logic.
Sometimes I get confused with whether Naresh ji was sympathizing or was he humiliating ? It is difficult to say but he had made several remarks. For 15 years what all we have tolerated! We know! Whether the law is working or not, you started shouting that someone's son is being framed; he is unnecessarily being troubled. And I believe such words are nothing but a mockery of the law. The law will decide the fate. Therefore, I say - 'help me out.' Help us out!
A few lines by poet Dushyant Kumar -
उनकी अपील है कि उन्हें हम मदद करें,
उनकी अपील है कि उन्हें हम मदद करें,
चाकू की पसलियों से गुजारिश तो देखिए
I don't believe that the atrocities on women is an issue pertaining to any particular party like Congress, BJP etc. It can never be. And your concerns and whatever Azad ji had said are valid. Therefore, I had boldly said from the Red Fort - a lot is said about daughters but at least someone should ask why do sons return home late? At least someone should ask where does the son go and whom does he meet? Someone should be concerned about giving values to the sons as well. Can't we all together in a single voice rebuke those mothers, those fathers and teachers? After all he is someone's son who is committing the atrocities on the daughter. He is someone's son. So we must together unanimously raise our voices against this social evil. And we have brought the Ujjwala Yojana for women empowerment. And through the House, I would like to make a special appeal to the people with start-ups.
We must work on Mission Mode for clean cooking in our country. And if possible, new innovative cooking stoves based on solar power could be innovated so that the poor do not have to shell out extra money for cooking food and so that the expenditure on gas based transportation also gets reduced. They should be able to have an arrangement of solar energy within their houses. And gas stoves can be produced with modern innovative technology. Clean cooking is essential for our regular lives, environment and for the health of the women. And this is not concerned with political agenda. This is for the welfare of the country. We together must take it forward.
Now they were asking about how much was spent on the advertisement of Swachh Bharat. I don't want to say things that might hurt you but you too had been in the government. You have a public life. The issue of toilets-sanitation is more a behavioral issue than an infrastructural issue. It's a habit. So, everyone around the world studying this issue has said the same. When you were running the government, even then the focus was on behavioral change. Unless there was a change in the behavior, there wouldn't have been a breakthrough. Now the advertisements are not flashing the programs of the government. These are for educating the people by taking small events for behavioral change. And before saying that, we must not forget that full page advertisements used to be published in the newspapers on the birthdays of a few members of a family with the poor's money. Calculate the amount of the nation's money that was put into it. You will be shocked to know the money spent for advertisements on the birthdays of the members of that family. And this on the other hand is for behavioral change and we all must strive for it. Ask your state governments to make budget allotments for behavioral change. Let them educate the people.
Hon'ble Chairman sir,
Our respected Azad ji had a detailed discussion on the Bofors issue and tried to seek credit. I wish to read out one quote. This quote is a part of the autobiography of a senior Congress minister and later the undisputed President Mr. R. Vektatraman ji. The name of the autobiography is 'My Presidential Years - by R Venkataraman. He had met JRD Tata and had written the conversation that he had with him - Tata had said that whether Rajiv Gandhi and his family had benefitted out of the gun and defence deals or not, but it would be hard to deny that the Congress Party didn't receive any commission. He used to believe it. I am not saying so. I am reading R Venkataraman ji's book. He used to believe that after 1980, funds were not taken from the industrialists and the Party's expenses were carried out of the commission received from these kinds of deals.
R Venkataraman ji was your very senior leader and had also been the President. I feel disheartened as well as infuriated whenever it comes to dynastic politics. It's quiet natural because I don't want your political space to be hurt. I would never want that. But someone from your party had said - 'sultanate gone but we behave like sultans'. This was reported in the media. I congratulate Jairam Ramesh ji for being vociferous.
The impact of inflation is the worst on the lower middle class and the middle class I general. How the inflation had become uncontrollably high before that we all are aware of! We have tried to ensure that information remains stable between 2% and 6%. Had the inflation continued to increase at that rate, it would have been difficult for the lower middle class and the middle class to survive. We have taken these steps to protect the middle class families. For those who want to build their other houses, our government has provided subsidies by reducing the interest rates and has accomplished this significant task.
We have created new categories under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana . And a discount of 4% on the interest rates on loans of up to Rs.9 lakhs has been provided for helping the middle class to construct houses; the middle class that has its aspirations. A discount of 3% has been provided on a loan of up to Rs.12 lakhs for the houses. Similarly, in a village if a family wants to renovate its old house or wants to add one or two rooms as the family is expanding, we have provided a discount of 3% on loans of up to Rs.2 lakhs. All these steps are going to help the lower middle class and the middle class to fulfil their aspirations.
Similarly, the Real Estate Regulating Act or RERA - today we have provided security to the common man belonging to the middle class who is concerned with building his house. We have added several rules and regulations that are benefitting the common man. We have also focused upon Consumer Protection Act and consumer empowerment.
More than 800 medicines under Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi are being provided at extremely cheap rates to ensure that people get affordable medicines. The beneficiaries believe that their expenditure has reduced by 60-70%. We have reduced the expenditure on knee implants and operations and even stents. Dialysis... Today, a plethora of problems relate to kidneys have come to the forefront in our country. But in order to get the regular dialysis done, the patient had to visit either the District Headquarter or some major city. We worked on Mission Mode. The dialysis movement worked out at a nominal charge in more than 500 districts. As per my current information, more than 22 lakh dialysis sessions have been held. All these work are for the welfare of the humanity. And we have laid an emphasis on such tasks.
You are well aware of the benefits being derived from the LED bulbs. Expenditure of thousands of crores of rupees has been saved by the middle class. About Rs.15 thousand crores have been added.
I agree with one point made by the President in his speech. This is not just the work of the government or of a single party. It is the work of every individual who is concerned about the nation. And it is the concern of everyone sitting in this house. And it is equally the work of everyone. The Hon'ble President had clarified the subject. When Pranab da was the President, he too had made this point and several others had places their views on this issue. And that is holding the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections simultaneously. It is true that those in Rajya Sabha are not concerned with elections but those who have been to both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are well aware of the fuss over elections. There are a few who come to Rajya Sabha after being defeated in Look Sabha elections. They too are well aware of the situation. The Indian democracy has matured over the years. Can we move towards a healthy tradition? Till 1967, simultaneous elections used to be held for Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. There might be a few debates about it but the system had been in place. At that time, there were no difficulties. But later due to political reasons, an instability was created. And today we see that as soon as one election ends, preparations for the next election begins and similarly for the third election and so on. It created a pressure on both the central government as well as the state governments. There should be a pleasant atmosphere for a federal structure. It is understandable that political tiffs would go on for 5-6 months around the elections but we could peacefully work for the rest of the four or four and a half years. Let us work up to our full potential. We should work in that direction and I think we should have a detailed discussion in this regard. During the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, you will see that 4 states are with them - Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Arunachal and Odisha. We are well aware of the hurdles. About Rs.1 thousand crores were spent on the Lok Sabha elections in 2009. It increased to about Rs.4 thousand crores in 2014. From 1000 to 4000! Moreover, after 2014, Rs.3 thousand crores were spent for assembly elections till date.
We can imagine! In a country like India where it is our responsibility to deliver the amenities to the poor people, we are allotting resources and security forces for elections. More than 1 crore people are allotted duties to 9 lakh 30 thousand polling stations. Greater security forces are deployed for elections. And our forces are engaged only with that work. This issue is beyond party politics. There could be difference of opinions for the welfare of the country, but arguments should not turn into squabbles. The arguments must be sincere and must maintain the sanctity. We must look for solutions together. I believe we will successfully carry it forward. We have taken several such decisions that are considered as wonder by several countries of the world. They wonder how such decisions could be made despite the presence of numerous parties! But these people sitting in the House have made the decisions in the past and have made the best decisions; the decisions that will benefit the future generations. I believe that I am fortunate to have got the opportunity to do this work in front of the dignitaries sitting in both the houses.
Hon'ble Chairman Sir,
All the dignitaries have presented their different views on various issues. The President's speech in itself is a complete speech. It is a summarized account of the direction, momentum and intentions of the government and the way we are moving towards the welfare measures for the common man, presented in a limited time frame. He tried to place that in front of you. Let us unanimously approve the Hon'ble President's speech and pass the Motion of Thanks. With this expectation, I end my speech extending my support.
Thanks a lot!